The Nafzger Heritage News
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See here for the pdf version (scanned images) of this issue.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nafzger Heritage News Vol IX No 1 Raw OCR - 7/6/04 Please see pdf version for original image http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~nafzger/NHN/NHNvIXn1.pdf -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- J J VOL. IX,No. 1 WINTER 1980 A SALUTE TO OUR GERMAN COUSINS Our thanks to Schuyler Brossman of Rehrersburg, Pennsylvania for his kind letter and many newspaper clippings from the area newspaper of Naftzingers of Berks County, Pennsylvania. We are in receipt of a nice letter and material from Valentine Nafziger of Milibank, Ontario, Canada. Valentine is help us update and correct some errors in records of the Samuel and Anna (Kuepfer) Naf ziger line that settled in Canada. Our thanks to Laura Mosher of Baidwinville, New York, Eli Byler of New Wilmington, Pennsylvania and Martha Reed of Fallston, Maryland for sending us lots of nice historical and human interest stories of events that happened to the children after their father, Peter ahd died at sea and Jacobina landed in America with her six children. We have a nice letter from Mrs. Angelo Wallace of Toledo, Ohio. Mary Noffsinger Wallace is an eighth generation descendant of Rudolph Naffsinger who landed in America in 1 749. Our thanks to Earl L. Esch for sending up material up dating the Samuel and Anna (Keupfer) line of Canada. In this issue of the News, we salute our cousins from Germany. They have been very helpful in the search of our heritage overseas. Commendation of Rudolph Naf ziger of Luedensheid, West Germany is especially ap propriate because he was the first one to make contact the The Nafzger Heritage News. In addition, he put together a newsletter, Familien Rundbrief, for the Nafizgers in Europe. Also, he has been forwarding information of Naf ziger in Europe on a regular basis. Wd are appreciative of this efforts. Special thanks go to Gerhard and Edeltraut Nafziger of Stockdorf, West Germany. Edeltraut is the member of the family who speaks and writes English and Gerhard is the Nafziger with the good heritage information. Together, they make quite a team. The most recent information we received from Gerhardt and Edeltraut identifies the parents of a well known American Nafzger family line. The documents and information establishes the parents of Valentine Nafziger who marries Jacobina Schantz, came to America in 1831, settled in Wayne County, Ohio. They are Peter Nafziger, born in 1 765 and Vermique (Halbecker) Nafziger. We are grateful for this discovery In fact, since we have had help from our German cousins. this is the fourth American Nafzger Family line where we have established the name and location of their ancestor parentage. Thus, progress of determining our heritage overseas has been outstanding. The editor of the News some of the problems that Gerhard must experience because no member of the staff of the Heritage News can write or speak German. Thus, all the material we receive must be translated so we know some of the difficulties of the language problem. We are grateful for the assistance given to us by Herman Guth of Saarbrucken. We are uncertain of Herman is a cousin of ours or not but to look at the number of Nafzigers and Guths who have married in Europe and America, it may work out that way. Mr. Guth was one of the early ones to give up a chart of the way he believed the families tied together and their relationship. As the various supporting documents arrive, it is obvious to us that Mr. Guth is a real expert on the Nafziger families in Germany. The suppor ting documents almost always agree with his very early let ters. There is no doubt in our minds that Mr. Guth has an abundance of good information on the Nafzigers in Europe and he is to be commended for forwarding the information to us. Continued on Page Two COMMENDATION LETTERS LETTERS LETTERS Our thanks to Clyde W. Noffsinger of Osborne, Kansas, Mrs. Linda N. LJtzinger of Meadville, Pennsylvania and Mary Chase of Portland, Indiana for letters expressing an interest in heritage. _________________________ We are sorry to learn of the death of Elmer Nafziger, of Spr ingfield, Illinois. Elmer has been a long time reader and sup porter of the News. Our condolences to Elmer during this period of distress. We are in receipt of a nice letter and lots of news clippings from his local papers from Wilmer A. Nafziger of Gridley, Illinois. Thanks for the effort and we appreciate the help. ANNOUNCEMENT LETTERS LETTERS LETTERS We are in receipt of a number of letters requesting advise and recommedation of the publication by Beatrice Bagley. We do not have any information on this publication and the Nafzger Heritage News is in no way connected to the work. In fact, we have not been able to acquire a copy to read it so that we might be able to make a comment. Carroll Nafziger writes to report the long standing Nafziger Family Reunion of Hopedale, Illinois had fifty-five (55) Nafziger descendants in attendance this year. Already, plans are being made for the reu nion next year which will be held on the third Sunday in July, 1 980 at the Hopedale Park, Hopedale, Il linois. We are in receipt of a nice letter and updated infor mation from Dale Nofzinger of Adrian, Michigan of his family line. He is a descendant of Valentine Nafziger who landed in America in 1831 and settled in Wayne County, Ohio. More recently, we have received in formation and important documents from Gerhard and Edeltraut Nafziger of stockdorf, Germany which moved this family line back another generation as our Germany cousins have been successful in identifying the parents of Valentine. First we received a letter and information sheet from Mary Chase of Portland, Indiana. From data on her information sheet and from material send to us by Gerhard and Edeltraut Nafziger of Stockforf, Ger many, we detected a family connect. Thus, we sent the German dovuments to Mary. Promptly, she had the documents translated and sent us a copy of the translation which appears in this issue of the News. Out thanks to Mary for the very prompt translation of the material and to Gerhard and Edeltraut for sending them to us. By the way, sure enough, Mary is con nected to this line of Nafzigers. Our sister publication in Germany is working on a project whereas Nafzgers visiting Germany may be able to contact their German cousins in the various parts of Germany. We believe that such a project is worthwhile and would like to develop one for our German cousins who may be visiting the United States in the near future. Thus, we are asking all of our readers to write and let us know if they would be interested in having a German Nafzger family visit their home if and when some of our cousin are visiting the United States. When you write, please indicate if you can accomodate a fair ly for an over night stay. If enough of our readers write, then we can extend an invitation to the GermanNafzgerS who may enjoy this communication with their oversea cousins. Continued from Page One In addition we have had help from Paul Schowa and Dr. Horst Gerlach of Marheim and assistance from a number of Genealogical Societies, civil and church ar chives. Our thanks to them. We are please v.ith the progress of the determination of our heritage as a result of the effort of our German relatives and friends. We hope the effort will continue. The most recent effort of cooperation between the Naf zgers of two Continents came to us in the mail from Rudolph Nafziger. Beginning with this issue of the News, we are experimenting with the merger of two Nafzger Newsletters. We are consolidating the Nafzger Heritage News and the Familien Rundbrief. The newsletter will become international in scope, effort and committment to work for the determination of our heritage in both America and Europe as a single group. The newsletter will be mail ed to N living in the United States, Germany. Canada, Switzerland, France and several other countries probably six in all. We are not sure that the idea is workable but it is worth a try. We believe the idea is worth a try because the tremendous heritage progress that ma’. result t?. of the close working relationships of Na every We hope you agree and support th effort. THE NAFZGER HERITAGE NEWS 1 20 EDGEWOOD D9VE Gp OHIO 44044 •.U.u..u..............u....& .d•uu..a EDITORS AND PUBLISHERS CLAIR NAFTZGER KATHLEEN NAFTZGER ETTY NAFTZGER SUBSCR’PT PRICE $5.00 yearly Put lish !ua’trr ly PAGE TWo NAFZGER HERITAGE FROM GERMANY HERMAN GUTH of Saarbro Germany has provided some new interesting information on the Nafzger heritage. In pas’ issues of the News, we have been referring to Peter Naffziger of Groversheim. He married three times. While he did no emigrate to America, nearly all of this children and stepchildren did. They eventually settled in Illinois in Mennonite set • tlements there. Presently, descendants can be found living in widely scattered placed in the United States. The first cor rection we need to make, according to Hermann’s Guth most recent research is that it is Gauersheim, not groversheim. Secondly, it would appear that his first name should read Valentine, not Peter as we have been reporting. Peter might hav been a part of his name, but the records clearly show him using the name of Valentine. With these two fundamental correc tions made, we can now report the findings of Hermann Guth. Enclosure 2 (The Nafziger from Hochheim and Gauersheim) I couldn’t yet find the father of Peter, born in 1 789, called “the Apostle”, whose name also was Peter. Nor could I find the “Rimmener Hof” where alledgedly in 181 2 the marriage should have taken place or the place where the Apostle in Bavaria had lived, where his children should have been born and from where he emigrated to USA. What I found in the “Haupt-Staatsarchiv” in Munic was a letter written by Christian Nafziger (probably a relative of Peter bot no brother) in 1814 to the King of Bavaria, Max I. This letter will be published in the next issue of the ‘Mennonitische Geschichtsblatter”. From this letter you can learn that the wife of this Christian was a Marie Stalter. In the passengers list published in the Nafzger Heritage News of March 1 975 both Nafzigers are mentioned with their wives Barbara and Marie. Only two of Peter’s children are those of Christian or those of Jakobine Nafzger. I guess this Jakobine, 42 years old, was a relative, may be a widow with her children. Johannes Nafziger, 1 9 years old can’t be the son of Peter who didn’t marry earlier than 1812. But he could have been a son of Christian or Jakobina. From Pete sho alledgedly has died in 1800 in Gauersheim (the father) one must find a registration in the civil regestrars which at this time were prescribed by law on the left side of the Rhine. Instead of the registration I found the death rcord of Valentin, 37 years old, who had died on 8/13/1800 in Hochheim near Worms in his dwelling house Klostergasse (the street). • The same Valentine had announced at the date of 8/21/1798 in Hochheim the birth of his son Jakob. His wife was Magdalena Spring. As I’ve been reported from USA Jakob was a brother of the “Apostle”. This could be evidence for the supposition that his father, too, was not Peter but this Valentin. The widow of Valentin lateron married another Valentin N., miller in Gauersheim, and died in 1806. Both had a son Valentin, born in 1805 who according to the record married on 11 ‘/ 1 8Y 1830 in Gauersheim Katharina Nafziger from Uberau. This same Valetin in a earlier first marriage was married with Magdalena Fischer and had together with her a son Christian (1802) v;hile they lived on the Neuhof hear Dirmstein/Palatinate. Maybe that the wife Magdalena Fischer had died a the birth of this son. From the records I sent copies to Verle and Margret Oyer, Lakeview Estates, Gibson City/Ill, who certainly are ready to make you copies of. To be able for further research it would be important to know from where came the dates of the Peter Natziger (called the Apostle) family in the USA. That means his birth date 1789, his marriage with Barbara Beck on the Rimmenerhof, Hessen Darmstadt, in 1812 and his whereabouts in Bavaria together with names and dates of his children. The children of Christian registred on the ship “Nimrod” might be proved at their birth placed in Bavaria if these places would be known. The Hochheim and Gauersheim family can be represented as follows: Valentin (Hochheim), Born 1 763 married Magdalena Spring and had a son Jakob, born 1 798 who emigrated to USA. Valentin died 1800 in Hochheim. His widow married Valentin (Gauersheim), born 1 769. Both have together a son Valentin, born 1805. From an earlier marriage with Magdalena Fischer Valentin had a son Christian, born 1802, who died 1826. After his marriage with Magdalena Spring this Valentin from Gauersheim had married a third time, namely Elesabeth Beck. PAGE THREE NAFZGER HERITAGE FROM GERMANY HERMAN GUTH of Saarbro Germany has provided some new interesting information on the Nafzger heritage. In pas issues of the News, we have been referring to Peter Naffziger of Groversheim. He married three times. While he did no emigrate to America, nearly all of this children and stepchildren did. They eventually settled in Illinois in Mennonite set • tlements there. Presently, descendants can be found living in widely scattered placed in the United States. The first cor rection we need to make, according to Hermann’s Guth most recent research is that it is Gauersheim, not groversheim. Secondly, it would appear that his first name should read Valentine, not Peter as we have been reporting. Peter might hav€ been a part of his name, but the records clearly show him using the name of Valentine. With these two fundamental correc tions made, we can now report the findings of Hermann Guth. Enclosure 2 (The Nafziger from Hochheim and Gauersheim) I couldn’t yet find the father of Peter, born in 1 789, called “the Apostle”, whose name also was Peter. Nor could I find the “Rimmener Hot’ where alledgedly in 1812 the marriage should have taken place or the place where the Apostle in Bavaria had lived, where his children should have been born and from where he emigrated to USA. What I found in the “Haupt-Staatsarchiv” in Munic was a letter written by Christian Nafziger (probably a relative of Peter bot no brother) in 181 4 to the King of Bavaria, Max I. This letter will be published in the next issue of the “Mennonitische Geschichtsblatter”. From this letter you can learn that the wife of this Christian was a Marie Stalter. In the passengers list published in the Nafzger Heritage News of March 1 975 both Nafzigers are mentioned with their wives Barbara and Marie. Only two of Peter’s children are those of Christian or those of Jakobine Nafzger. I guess this Jakobine, 42 years old, was a relative, may be a widow with her children. Johannes Nafziger, 19 years old can’t be the son of Peter who didn’t marry earlier than 1812. But he could have been a son of Christian or Jakobina. From Pete sho alledgedly has died in 1800 in Gauersheim (the father) one must find a registration in the civil regestrars which at this time were prescribed by law on the left side of the Rhine. Instead of the registration I found the death rcord of Valentin, 37 years old, who had died on 8/13/1800 in Hochheim near Worms in his dwelling house Klostergasse (the street). S The same Valentine had announced at the date of 8/21/1 798 in Hochheim the birth of his son Jakob. His wife was Magdalena Spring. As I’ve been reported from USA Jakob was a brother of the “Apostle”. This could be evidence for the supposition that his father, too, was not Peter but this Valentin. The widow of Valentin lateron married another Valentin N., miller in Gauersheim, and died in 1806. Both had a son Valentin, born in 1805 who according to the record married on 11 Y2 1 8V2 1830 in Gauersheim Katharina Nafziger from Uberau. This same Vatetin in a earlier first marriage was married with Magdalena Fischer and had together with her a son Christian (1802) v;hile they lived on the Neuhof hear Dirmstein/Palatinate. Maybe that the wife Magdalena Fischer had died a the birth of this son. From the records I sent copies to Verle and Margret Oyer, Lakeview Estates, Gibson City/Ill, who certainly are ready to make you copies of. To be able for further research it would be important to know from where came the dates of the Peter Nafziger (called the Apostle) family in the USA. That means his birth date 1 789, his marriage with Barbara Beck on the Rimmenerhof, Hessen Darmstadt, in 1812 and his whereabouts in Bavaria together with names and dates of his children. The children of Christian registred on the ship “Nimrod” might be proved at their birth placed in Bavaria if these places would be known. The Hochheim and Gauersheim family can be represented as follows: Valentin (Hochheim), Born 1763 married Magdalena Spring and had a son Jakob, born 1798 who emigrated to USA. Valentin died 1800 in Hochheim. His widow married Valentin (Gauersheim), born 1 769. Both have together a son Valentin, born 1805. From an earlier marriage with Magdalena Fischer Valentin had a son Christian, born 1802, who died 1826. After his marriage with Magdalena Spring this Valentin from Gauersheim had married a third time, namely Elesabeth Beck. PAGE THREE Johannes- Nafziger Branch Johannes Nafziger born in 1875 married in Walschbrann’1 813 the widow Magdalena Hauter nee Esch from Dorsterhof. The couple lived for a while in Dorst. A son Johannes (John) was born in 1816, also a daughter Anna. (no birth date). In 1821 the mother died after the birth of the twins Peter and Christian. Both boys died in infancy at the (family farm) Roib ingerhof. Johannes Nafziger later moved with his st Peter Hauter and his own children Gendersberger-hof. HIS sister helped him with the Household till his son Jot married Elisabeth Roggy from Offweilerhof. This marriage resulted in 10 children. Magdalena 1839, Johannes 1841, Anna 1843, Elisabeth 1845, Jakob 1848, Josef 1850, Andrew 1852, Katharina 1854, Jokabine (Jaqueline) 1856, and Heinrich (Henry) 1857. The oldest daughter died when she was 20 years old. Johannes married Elisabeth Nafziger from Kahlenbergerhof from the family line of the Faunerhofer and in second marriage Anna Gungrich from Herschweiler - Petershein (county Kusel). Son Josef never married. Andrew married Elisabeth Esch from Kaisterhof in 1878. The family lived at first at the Haardthof (Niederbrann) and in 1894 emigrated with 4 children. Hertha, Willy, Alfans and Bruno to the United States. Katharmna married Andrew Roggy, Jakobine (Jaqueline) was married to Andreas (Andrew) Guth from Kirschbacherhof and in her second marriage to Peter Guth from the Gassenmuhle. The mill is still owned by descendants fo the family. Hei8nrich married Elisabeth Freidinger and bough the Berfiderhof (Bitsch). Also still in the family. Family Line George Nafziger born in 1887 was married on 3.14.1821 in Eppingen-Urbach to Elizabeth Gungrich from Freudenbergehof (Zweibrucken) and also rented the Fransbacherhof. (Town Hassel County St. lngbert). Today the farm is called ‘Geisthircher hot.” Several children were born on this farm. Johnannes 1823, Christian 1826, Magdalene 1830, and Josef 1831. Magdalena and Josef died in their early years. The family had moved by then to Wadhassen. The family was farming by then a farm belonging to the Monestery or Wadgassen. Children Barbara 1833, Elizabeth 1837 and Jacob 1839 were born there. Johann Nafziger born in 1823 from the Fransbacherhof married Barbara Schertz from the Michelsbachermuhle. The marriage was performed at the Haustadtermuhle. They lived at the Geisweilerhog. The farms are found in (Saarland). Seven children were born there. Only Johann and Jacob married. Johann was wed to a girl from the Roggy familly (St. Henry France). He bought the farms of “Ia Horgne and Ia Grange le Mercier. (close to the city of Metz, France). They had 2 sons, Jean and Jacob. Jean married Anna Esch from Colgne. Jacob Nafziger born 7.1 9.1851 living on the Geisweilerhof was married 1879 in Illingen (Saar) to Barbara Fankenell The couple lived after their marriage on the campel farm of Lerraine. Born there were Maria 1880, Anna 1882, Jacob 1883, Helene 1885, Emil 1890 and Emmul 1901. The family moved then to the Reiningermuhle. Both parents died in 1928 at the Stausteinerhof. They were living with their daughter Anna. Anna was married to Jacob Nafziger. Family line Faunerhof. Christian Nafziger born 1826 at Fransbacherhof married Susanna Schertz from the Michelbachermuhle and 1884 also bough the Schwartermuhle. One daughter Susanna married Johann Schertz. The couple lived first at the Schartermuhle, later at the Bethngermuhle. In his 2 marriages Christian Nafziger wed Katharina Eyer born 5.3.1815 at Felsenbrunnerhof (County Zwelbrucken). The only son of this marriage. Christian born 9.30.1857 at Schartermuhle was wed in 1886 at PAGE FIVE Rodenburg (Luxembourg), to Katharina Blaser. Katharina Blaser was born in 1859 at St. Nicholas (Gertingen-Lorraine.) The couple had two children - Georges born 1890 and,a daughter Christine. Both born at the Schartermuhle. Barbara Nafziger born 1833 at Wadgassen was the wife of Nokilaus Schertz. Elizabeth Nafziger born 1837 at Wadgassen. Christian Roggy from St. Henry C. France.) The father Georges Nafziger died there in 3.22.1865. Jacob Nafziger born 1839 at Wadgassen married Marie Guth from Barenbrunner hof C. Dahn also rented a farm in Bastopol (Teul, France). Here the children Jean 1861, Barbara 1862, Georges 1863, Anna 1864 and Marie 1866 were born. In 1870 just before the war he was visited by his two brother-in-laws. The two brother-in-laws were seen using roadmaps while there and their was some suspicion that they were German spys. Jacob Nafziger was jailed in Towl on the suspicion of harboring spys. After the war.he refused to return to his farm and he and his family stayed with relatives at Solgne (Mets, France). He then rented the farm of Assweilorhof around Zweibrucken. Two sons Jacob and Daniel were born there. Soon h served at preacher for the Ixheimer congregation and was voted in as Elder in 1875. A very intelligent person and also a/extraordinary preacher he was the most famous leader of the old Order Amich. He served his faith dilengently. In 1888 he moved to Grasswiesingerhof (Saargemund). In 1913 he requested that the congregation find a new leader. That he was not able to serve us travelling preacher due to his age. The congregation voted on his son Jacob and Christian Guth. Jacob Nafziger Sen. baptized 11 boys and 10 girls in 1918 (age 79). He died at Freihof (Sarrgemund) in 10.11 .1923. 3 Family Line Peter Nafziger born in 1 790 to Valentin Nafziger and wife at the Hoffenhof (Guntershoten) married the step-daughter of his sister Magdalena. Barbara Guth and Peter Nafziger were married at Ransbrunnerhof (Eppenbrunn Pfalz) in 7.22.1818. They lived first with his father in law in 1820 his son Johannes was born at the Ransbrunnerhof. In 1828 Peter Nafziger and his family moved to the Faunerhof. His w4fe died in 1847 at Kiechheimerhof, the farm of her son. This son Johanne was married to Magdalena Stalter who was born in Manbijou in 1823. The couple lived at the Kirchheimert’iof. Son Daniel was born in 1846 and a daughter Magdalena. In 1851 Elizabeth was born and in 1 853 Peter. The Peter Johannes Nafziger died at the Kirchheimerhof on 6.10.1856. The mother died at Eichelscheiderhof the home other son Peter on 4.1.1891. Daniel Nafziger married Christine Esch from Dorstermuhie. She was born in 1851 at the Eschweilermuhle. The couple lived at the Eschbacherhof. Born there were Magdalena 1874, Elise 1875, Daniel 1877, Jacob 1870, and Babette 1883. he mother died on 1 .1 5.1886. The same year the family moved to the Kahlenbergerhof. In 2nd marriage Daniel Nafziger married Marie Muller, who was born at the Kirchheimerhof. The son Johann/2nd marriage died in W.W.I. Daughter Lena was born in 1891. In 1906 die family moved to Bickenaschackermuhle where Daniel Nafziger died on 1.14.1914. Magdalena Nafziger didn’t marry and stayed partime with widowed brothers Daniel and Peter. She died in 1934 at Einstweilerhof, the home of her niece. Elisabeth Nafziger married Jacob Nafziger from Sendersbergerhof. Peter Nafziger born is 1853 married Magdalena Stalter in 1885. He rented the Eichilscheiderhof till 1892. His children Otto 1887. Helene 1889, and Lina 1891 were born there. He bought the Stausteinerhof close to the estate of his parents in law which was also called Stausteinerhof. His youngest son Jacob was born there. The farm from his in-laws went to a cousin Jacob Nafziger who was married to Anna Nafziger from the Reiningermuhle. (check previous data). Both farms still belong to descendents of the families. PAGE SIX •ad Nafziger nee Stalter died 1893 at the Stausteinerhof. Her husband Peter Nafziger died 1.12.1925 in Zweibrucken. Daughter Magdaiina of Valintin Nafziger married the widower Johannes Guthfrom Rannsbrunnerhof. He was the patriach of all Guth’s who belong to the Mennonite congregation at Ixheim. Valentin’s daughter, * Katherina 1 788 wed Micheal Bertsche. One son Johann Bertsche married Katharina Hauter from Riedelberg. The family lived at first at Erlenlhopf (Pirmasens) and later emigrated to the United States. Barbara was the wife of Johannes Guth a step-son of her sister Magdalena. The couple lived first at the Grunbacherhof (Eppe later at Barenbrunnerhof and were the founders of the Barenbrunnerline of the Guth families. I wil close this family history with this Bible Verse. Moses 1 2.2 I will bless you and thou shall be a blessing. * Parents of my step grandmother Barbara Bertsche married Joseph Hauter Kinsinger 8 other children REUNION We had the honor and pleasure of speaking at the Nafziger Reunion held at the Tel-Hai camp, Honey Brook, Pennsylvania. It is an impressive reunion held by descendants of Samuel and Anna (Kuepfer) Nafziger who settled in Canada in about 1 850. Th were about 1 50 in attendance. The Nafziger Reunion is ‘ery three years and this year met on July 28th and July 29th in Pennsylvania. The reunion is moved to different loca tions each time it meets. Next year it will meet in New York and then Canada and finally back to Pennsylvania. It was a warm, friendly group of Nafziger descendants we met in Pennsylvania and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay in Lancaster County. Our thanks to the group for the invitation. More Letters We are in receipt of a nice letter from William R. Kuepfer of Ontario, Canada. He up dates the material on his family line. William is a descendant of Samuel Nafziger who settled in Canada in 1855. We are in receipt of some beautiful colored pictures sent to us by Betty Goold of Northfield, Minnesota. The Burbank Evangelical United Brethren Church celebrated its 1 25th year birthday. The Church was founded by several groups of belivers who were converted around 1 840 in a Methodist Camp Meeting held near West Cannan in Wayne County, Ohio. Two of these groups were the Naftzger Class at what is now Burbank and the Biddle Class at West Cannan. The first church in Bridgeport was build on land purchased from John and Katherine Naftzger for 30 in 1852. Bridgeport was renamed Bur k in 1 869 and the church became the Burbank United Br ii n Christ Church. The main sanctuary of the present church is thought to be the original building. The pictures sent to us by Betty Goold are of the main sanctuary and of par ticipants of the celebration. We are grateful to Betty for the pic torial historical reference for out files. A TRIP TO GERMANY Approximately a dozen Nafzgers responded to our request for the number of Nafzgers in terested in a trip to Germany. The number is not large enough to collect any advantage of a price break and the logistics and idea not feasible at this time However, we do encourage as many as can to make such a trip and report your findings and pictures to the News so that we can let others know of your experiences. We are going to con tinue identifying Nafzger heritage sites in Germany so that when any of us decide to make a tour, we know the communities where Nafzgers once lived in Germany. Once such visit was made by James and Mary Helen (Naffziger) Hook of Hammond, Indiana. They have provided some excellent pictures of the Naf zger historic site if lilbach, Germany. We expect to have the pic ture reprinted for our readers in the next issue of the News. My wife was the former Mary Helen Naffziger of Washington, Illinois. We recently visited Darmstadt, Germany which we found to be a most delightful and interesting town. We also visited Uberau. It too is a most exciting and in teresting little willage. Very picturesque, rustic, adn authentic-- no tourist intrusions. We were also fortunate in finding Hof-Illbach. The Baron still lives there, but not as owner. He is able to continue to live there by the generosity of the present owner of the farm. Part of the buildings have been converted to apartments. There are also many horses in some of the more recently built barns; I suspect it is a ‘horse boarding” arrangement. We do appreciate the Nafzger Heritage News” and thank you for your work in getting it published. PAGE SEVEN ENGAGEMENT, — ‘DEA-rHs LETTERS Mr. and Mrs. Art Nafziger of Danvers announced the engagement of their daughter, Alice Nafziger of Dayton, Ohio to James Benga, also of Dayton. A September 29th. wedding is planned by the couple. Archie Naffziger, 74 of Fort Pierce, Flordia, who farmed in the McLean-Stanford and Farmer City area before retiring died. He was born September 25, 1904 at Dixon, a son of John and Spynix Tallon Naffziger. lie married Gem Long- worth in 1924. She preceded in in death. In 1960, he married Ruth Mullen. Also surviving are two sisters in the Mci an area. A son preceded i him in death. Lester S. Nafziger, 77 years, died at the Methodist Medical Center, Peoria, Illinois, where he had been a patient five weeks. He was born in July 17, 1901, at Eureka, a son of William and Emma Rastetter Nafziger. Surviving are two brothers, Glann and Harvey? and four sisters, Lillian Aschenbrenner, Grace Nafziger, Elsie Dma and ma Nafziger. Three brothers preceded him in death. Oliver Jason Yoder, 83 years, died at St. James Hospital, Pontiac, Illinois. He was born in 1894 in Kalona, Iowa, a a son ofJacob and Malinda Warye Yoder. He married Ella Nofsinger in 1919 at Washington, Illinois. She died in 1958. He He married Sadie Dellenbach in 1959. Survsvmg are his wife? a daughter, Ann Glabe, a brother, Chris Yoder and two sisters? five grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. Elmer H. Sutter, 88 years, a retired Hopedale area farmer, died at Bartmann Nursing Home in Atlanta, Illinois. lie was born June 19, 1890 at Hopedale, a son of Christian and Faniaie Stalter Sutter. He married Ann Weihmeir in 1936 at H at Hopedale. She died in 1975. Surviving are a daughter, Fanny Carter and a brother, Harvey. He was preceded in death by death by a son, four sister and seven brothers. We are in receipt of a nice letter from Mrs. Burdette B. Loomis of Green Valley, Arizona. Marjorie(Ilelton)Loomis is is a seventh generation descendant of Rudolph Noffsinger who landed in America in! 749. She is in the process of up dating her family line for our records. Our thanks to Mrs. Loomis for the help. We are in receipt of The State Historical Society of Wisconsin to be placed of our mailing list for the receipt ot Na1L hedtage material. Request has been granted. THE NAFZGER HERITAGE NEWS I 20 EDGEW000 DF G, OHIo 44044 S Daniel T. Noffsinger + 9050 South 150th. West Sandy, Utah 84070 09170 17 1 :12/17/79 NOFF s:r.NGE:R 8235 F.)ERE:Y CIR WEST JORDAN UT 8 ISee here for the pdf version (scanned images) of this issue.
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Last Modified: 2004-07-05